| Swamp Sparrow, giving me a good look |
I have always wanted to experience a warbler fallout, when multiple species of migrating warblers land to forage together before moving on to wherever they will nest. I am sure I will never get to Texas to enjoy the big ones, where thousands of birds "fall out" after crossing the Gulf of Mexico during northward migration...
However, yesterday the boss and I stumbled upon a mini one and it was downright awesome.
We had gone to Cline Road Marsh, his Mother's Day gift to me, and just what I wanted too. One size fits all birders and you just never know....
I have been hoping to find a Sora there or a Least Bittern...or any bittern for that matter...as other birders have, but that didn't happen. However it is an utterly magical place, near people for sure, but full of wild right to the brim. The Virginia Rails started cackling before I was even out of the car!
| Gray Catbirds A'courting |
After I had spent as much time as I wished wandering up and down the gravel Road between the waters admiring and attempting to photograph an elusive little Marsh Wren and all the other good denizens of the place, the boss drove me around the loop road toward the west side of the marsh.
The first hint of anything exiting was a Magnolia Warbler singing in the brush. Although I see them most years down here in our home county I had never seen them in the county to the north. Then came a Black-and-white. A few yards down the road a Northern Waterthrush was screaming its heart out over and over, another Maggie, a Nashville.
| Barn Swallow |
And then Merlin picked up a life bird for me. Well, actually two of them, counter singing.
Canada Warblers!
I kinda saw one once, a fraction of a second glimpse of just the bright yellow breast and the necklace of darkness. I didn't count it. However, I counted the new ones as I had half a dozen good, clear recordings to show that they were really there. Also heard a call of a Black-throated Green, but only once and Merlin didn't pick it up so I didn't count it.
I could have stayed all day, but I hate to make the boss suffer in the car while I play like that.
However, it was about the best Mother's Day gift I could ask for...I had told him, please don't buy me anything, just take me birding!
| Female Red-winged Blackbird |
And now we come to the Poe-esque part of the story.
What the heck is up with these ridiculous ravens anyhow?!? Ralph said he saw them on the house steeple the other day. Thus when I heard a faint croak and saw a tiny Downy Woodpecker frozen in terror, clinging to the suet feeder, I went outside to look.
Sure enough, there they were, glaring down at the yard like dark demons of the underworld.
I cussed them roundly and they flew off, dragging a trail of grackles behind them. Devil monsters! What do they want with our yard anyhow?
Give me a good warbler any day!
Excuse the shaky end to the video below. I thought to delete it, but decided not to.
